Wait, is this even possible!
Anyway, I loved visiting Lago Maggiore and Lucca.
I have a feeling I will end up liking all the places I plan to visit on my trip.
This is a continuation of my trip in progress.
On my last day spent in Lake Maggiore, I decided to go to Lake Orta.
I'd done research on the best way to get there via public transportation but unfortunately the direct bus from Stresa to Orta San Giulio only runs until Sept. 10th, so I took the train from Baveno to Orta -Miasino with a connection in Cuzzago. If you plan to visit Lake Orta, DO NOT take the train that connects in Cuzzago! Cuzzago's station is a tiny deserted, abandoned, dirty train station in the middle of NOWHERE!
I had 28 minutes to make my connection, and those were the longest 28 minutes of my life!
There were two young men who helped me find "the other station" hidden among the overgrown bushes and trees, otherwise I'd have missed my train connection. When I arrived to the "other station", (after crossing the railroad tracks & cautiously following two complete strangers!), there was a woman standing (no benches) and waiting for the train. I approached her and asked if I was in the right place, she said yes, but she also added the following; "questa è la prima e l'ultima volta che vengo a questo terrore di una stazione!" (this is the first and the last time I come to this terror of a station!)
The woman and I befriended each other as I related to her how the two men (who had boarded another train) were initially suspicious to me, had actually helped me find this hidden station. Even though she didn't speak English, she understood
my limited Italian and empathized with me.
Once I arrived to Orta- Miasino's station, I walked toward the TI office down the road only to find that it was closed! I found the Trenino, a smalll train for tourists that I'd planned to take to Sacro Monte, but was told that the train was for large groups, not just for one person. I walked up the hill to Sacro Monte where I found the perfect spot to take photos of the lake & the Island of San Giulio. After visiting some of the chapels depicting the life of St. Francis, I walked down to the city center on a serene promenade along the edge of the lake before arriving to Orta's main square, Piazza Motta.
I then took the ferry to Isola San Giulio, a very picturesque but tiny island with narrow cobble stone lanes. It took me 15 minutes to walk around the island, along the pathway of silence. The ferry returned promptly 25 minutes later to take me back to Piazza Motta. I then visited the beautiful church of Santa Maria Assunta just above the piazza.
After my experience at Cuzzago's station, I called my hotel and the owner explained to me that many of the small stations in the area are closed.
Since I didn't want to end up in another deserted train station, I decided to take a taxi back to Baveno. Better be safe than sorry.
The taxi driver was a friendly young man who asked me if I'd visited the mountain of Mottarone, to which I replied, no.
I told him that I was leaving the following day and had decided that I'd run out of time. Long story short, he convinced me that I'd not regret going up the mountain and experiencing the most magnificent views of the lakes and all the surrounding mountains. He was right!
I took the cable car then the chair lift to the summit of Mottarone, and the views were absolutely breathtaking!
Afterwards I decided to walk back to Stresa, but I turned right, instead of turning left, at the main road and ended up walking almost 3Km back to Baveno!
Just before reaching my hotel, I saw a man with two brown labradors who were swimming in the lake and fetching a stick; they were so cute!
I decided to eat dinner at my hotel once again since I was too tired to venture out again. My dinner was delicious; I ordered the fresh trout served with with a tasty tomato sauce on a bed of ratatouille.
Continued below...